The Skills Every Creative Will Need by 2030
Every few years, there seems to be a cultural shift towards something fresh and exciting. We asked a few Creatives what skills they think they'll need by 2030.
Every few years, there seems to be a cultural shift towards something fresh and exciting. Typically pushing out or forcing traditional skills to evolve into something new.
Witnessing the shift happening now with AI in the creative landscape, it got us thinking about some of the skills we might not think much about but could be a necessity for new creatives down the line. Our team shares their thoughts on what they think people will need (and no, it’s not a personal assistant!).
Sustainability Sells
2030 has been a goal post set for governments to meet certain environmental goals. Back in 2015, all the United Nations members agreed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that outlines the blueprint for prosperity for people and the planet. With that likely being even more of a topic of discussion as we approach that year, creatives (along with other departments) might need to build campaigns that better align with sustainability, like reducing resource use. Just like Unless Collective who are pioneering the movement toward regenerative fashion and plastic-free innovation, and how their ads will reflect this.
AR, VR, digital media buys, and especially AI have a heavy environmental cost. Productions might be tailored to be lower carbon practices. Materials used in productions or XM might need to be more eco-friendly. Even if the concept itself isn’t green, creatives might need to keep the planet in mind, even at the ideation stage, so the whole campaign resonates in some way with an increasingly green audience.
– Mike Furlong, Copywriter
The Art of Branding
Why does 2030 sound like a sci-fi movie when it’s only five years away? Maybe that’s a metaphor for how fast the world is moving. Technology, especially AI, isn’t just knocking on the door; it’s kicking it down with the force of a supersonic tsunami. That might sound overwhelming, but here’s the good news: creativity still matters. In fact, it matters more than ever.
Brands no longer live in one neat little box. Like consumers, brands are bouncing between brick-and-mortar stores, social feeds, virtual worlds, and yes—the metaverse (remember when that sounded futuristic?). The next five years will usher in an era of cross-reality branding, where consistency across dimensions and platforms is the new holy grail.
Think of branding in 2030 like an intermediate yoga class: your identity needs to stretch across every dimension without losing its soul. It’s not just about visuals, it’s about tone, interaction, and storytelling that feel authentic everywhere. We don’t know what platforms will be here in 5 years, so adaptability is key. The brands that win will design with elasticity and deliver experiences that work in every consumer reality. So, let’s limber up, the future isn’t one world, it’s all of them.
– Linda Carte, Creative Director
Looking Outside the Pipeline
Creatives can benefit from looking beyond their usual sources of inspiration, if they haven’t already. With the rise of AI tools in marketing and increasingly sophisticated algorithms, it’s easy for everything to start looking the same. And creatives are not immune to this effect.
Pulling from unexpected references (i.e. Fonts In Use, Art of the Title, SHOTDECK) brings fresh perspectives and creative techniques that aren’t part of the algorithmic pipeline. Old films, vintage magazines, book covers, and film titles are full of creative ideas that perhaps the algorithmic world hasn’t yet tapped into.
Inspo from Art of the Title.
We might even have to start looking through actual physical media in the actual physical world. Finding these old ‘new’ resources, databases and creative specialties to pull from, will prove increasingly important for distinct creative.
– Lia MacLeod, Art Director
Heading into a Tech-Heavy Future
As creatives, we’ve been noticing that we are heading to a tech-heavy future, where AI-generated outputs and understanding how technology can be used to enhance creativity will be crucial.
Knowing how to write a good prompt for tech-automated tools will be key. Writing a clean, efficient prompt is not that simple and easy, but once you master this skill, it will save you so much time. A good prompt can enhance your craft, design and even ideas. See below for two guides I’ve been referencing.
Creativity remains our superpower. The difference between us and other creatives lies in how we’ll use data, prompting and AI-collaboration skills to our advantage. And from here, deciding what role to use them for: ideation, testing or crafting.
